The End of the Journey and Axel's Tale
by OurUniverse
Summary: After ten years of fighting the Darkness, Sora and his friends find themselves in front of Kingdom Hearts for the 3rd time. Later Axel manages to get what he values the most, his home...
1. Chapter 1: The Start of the End

**The End of the Journey and Axel's Tale**

Chapter 1 The Start of the End

There was nothing to surround the party now. There was no ground, no ceiling, and no wall. All that was visible were the others, the endless space of black mist and the gigantic doors of Kingdom Hearts which seemed to tower and dominate the entire view. A low whistling seemed to escape it, breaking the silence along with the breathing.

Axel had never been in the infinite Abyss, and had shown until recently no desires whatsoever to do so. Ever since the Organization had fallen and the Darkness was vulnerable he had seized his chance by following Sora to the source of all the worlds, to the essence of the heart. There was a good chance he would never get out of the Abyss in the state and body he was in now but the loss of his heart had never stopped him obtaining what he wanted.

Right now he wore an expression of passionate rage and discreet apprehension at what was in front of him. He felt intolerably nervous and lonely although most of his so-called friends were next to him. He didn't dare look at them and tried to get a glimpse of their faces without moving. He could scarcely see past Goofy, who was wearing a brave and decided expression and was standing to Axels' right. Feeling slightly more confident Axel focused on seeing Cloud's face only to be disappointed by the usual calm and expressionless face.

A part from the whistling coming from Kingdom Hearts the Abyss was completely silent. It was a tense and building silence which indicated only too clearly that it would be broken very soon. It was…

"Contemplate the infinite Abyss" said a deep and powerful voice which seemed too echo around the emptiness. All of them wheeled around to face none other than Ansem himself. His white hair seemed to illuminate the misty space around them. His yellow eyes were passionate and hungry." Although Kingdom Hearts is made of light, the possibility of finding some elsewhere is remote. Here the Darkness is stronger than ever and anywhere"

"You're still wrong!" retorted Sora's voice from behind Goofy." Even in the darkest places there is a light in our hearts that will _never_ go out!"

"For ten years, now, you've been traveling through worlds, fighting the Darkness and you still don't accept what's true. The one who can't understand, is incapable to know. Do you remember those words?"

Sora didn't answer and victorious Ansem snapped his fingers. Suddenly, unwarned a white, glinting ground appeared and Axel could feel himself standing on solid floor, not floating foolishly in the air. The surface seemed to be as endless as the Abyss itself and Axel didn't bother looking for the edges. He kept looking at what Ansem would do next. There was another click with the fingers and a true sea of Shadows appeared in front of the party. They seemed to cover all of the newly born ground instantly. Some appeared out of the sky and floated a few feet above the others while two immense Darksides appeared on either side of the door. The Heartless had been summoned.

"Surrender your hearts to the Darkness. You're impossibly outnumbered" growled Ansem, now menacing but not abandoning his deep and confident voice.

The only reply was the cling of metal as each member of the party instantly grabbed their weapon. This time Axel did look at the rest of his group.

His gaze rested on Riku first. His face was almost as expressionless as Cloud's except it had a shadow of hunger on it, as if he was secretly longing to slash at the millions of Heartless. His scimitar reflected the anger inside the man was prepared to launch itself at any foe coming his way.

Moving further down the party, Axel saw Donald, the small but angry and excited duck. His expression was similar to Goofy's, confident and angry. He had a look of pompousness around him as though this battle was something he would have to go through to feel more important than he already was. His short and comical staff produced a faint electric light, ready to send a blast of magic.

In the middle of the group was Sora, his Keyblade in his hands, ready to strike. He was not looking at anything else than at Ansem but his face wasn't trembling or even scared, he looked confident. It was almost incredible to believe for Axel who had always known Sora to overestimate his enemies, only to defeat them later. This time however Sora seemed to be underestimating Ansem and, very suddenly, a wave of courage swept through Axel's entire body.

Next to story Sora stood King Mickey, his hood removed and his own Keyblade in a prepared and defensive position. He too seemed to be looking at nothing but Ansem, and he too wore the unbelievable expression of confidence. Another wave of hope shot through Axel's veins.

To the king's right stood Goofy, his expression hadn't changed. His shield baring the royal chest gleamed defensively at the Heartless.

At the end of the line Cloud was still standing straight, looking calmly at the Heartless, his expression unreadable. He noticed Axel looking at him and nodded in a conclusive way. Just by bowing his head he became smaller than his black sword.

The group and the sea of Heartless stood still and silent, observing each other attentively. Then the first shadow jumped high in the air followed by a thousand others and pelted straight for various members of the group. Within seconds a wall of shadows had formed itself in front of their leader. Axel could notice Sora and Mickey trying to cut their way through and reach the real enemy. He however was having far bigger problems with burning down several shadows at once. He'd realized his disks would be almost useless before he'd start the battle.

It seemed to last for ever. Hundreds of Heartless were forming a circle around him, often one came out to face Axel but he was immediately reduced to ashes. The man kept turning around in circle blasting apart the shadows in various ways. He had no idea what could be happening with his friends. He once caught a glimpse of Cloud blasting several Heartless at a time and took a peek towards Sora who was performing an acrobatic stunt in the air.

After what seemed ages the circle of Heartless grew bigger and enclosed Axel along with Cloud and Riku. Back to back all three took the chance to scrutinize the others. They saw that Donald and Goofy were also back to back fighting off a larger and tighter group of Heartless but most important of all, they could see Mickey and Sora floating some feet above the ground dueling violently with Ansem. The moment's rest they took was too long and they realized it too late. Three Heartless had lunged themselves at Cloud and pelted him to the ground. By the time Riku and Axel had fought those off a whole wave of them had attacked. They climbed, bit and sunk sharp, invisible nails into the Riku and Axel's skin. Both crumpled next to Cloud and lay immobile for a moment. They were incapable to move a single muscle.

"Get up…" urged Axel but he didn't manage. His head was pointing straight upwards and after minutes of struggling he managed to let out a gasp a Darkside came into view above him. It was over, he could see it coming. The Darkside were the most dangerous Heartless in existence. Every move it made gave Axel a nauseated feeling, knowing he was done for. Just before the Heartless could give him the final blow, however, a red blur flew in front of it and with a slashing noise it disappeared again.

Silence followed, except for the violent fighting between Mickey, Sora and Ansem. Then, very slowly, the Darkside crashed to the ground and dissolved into thin air. Auron appeared in its remnants.

Auron's proud and fierce stature gave Axel hope and strength. He managed to stand up just in time to see Auron take a wild slash around him, dissolving more Heartless. As he kept diving up and down Axel could focus on the other duelers, Mickey and Sora against Ansem.

The duel was fierce and tense but neither of them seemed to be showing any signs of weakness. Ansem kept being pushed back by Mickey and Sora's fast attacks but he recovered fast every time and seemed as though nothing had happened. To be entirely honest the battle seemed repetitive.

Suddenly Mickey was sent crashing into the floor. This action gave Axel a burst of adrenaline and strength and as though he had been running for four days he grabbed one of his disks and sent them flying straight at Ansem. It hung in his chest and once again silence fell as everyone looked at his disbelieving, almost defeated eyes. Suddenly Mickey jumped back into the air along with Riku and in one swift movement all three Keyblade wielders had stuck their weapon in Ansem immobile chest. A slow rumbling started and grew rapidly louder until reaching a climax. Ansem exploded in thousands of small, fluorescent parts.

As if it were a chain reaction the Heartless dissolved all at once leaving the six members of the group alone in front of the towering doors leading to Kingdom Hearts. The whistling was the only noise in the Abyss. It echoed softly through the mist.

All were waiting for a signal to confirm what they had just done. It lasted several seconds before Sora finally let out a very deep sigh and flung himself on the ground, his eyes unfocused and relieved.

"Riku" he said not bothering to look up.

"Yes" answered Riku in a voice that betrayed his relieved feelings." Yes, I think it's over"

"It's not" said Auron's soft and growling voice." The Keyblades have to destroy the door that leads to Kingdom Hearts. Only that way can we all go home relieved..."

"Go home?" asked Goofy disbelievingly. Axel exchanged a dark look with Cloud.

"Yes" said Auron coldly." If the door of Light stays, so will the Darkness and none of us will ever have a hope to go home. We'll just keep fighting Ansem and the Heartless over and over again until we all die. If we destroy the only access to Kingdom Hearts we will all be separated but we will be home and we will leave in peace"

"So once we destroy the door…" started Sora but he was silenced by the looks on Donald and Goofy's faces.

"Once we destroy the door we'll have more or less an hour to go home and make our goodbyes…" said Auron slowly. Axel tried to look at Riku but this one was carefully avoiding eye contact. It wasn't going to be easy.


	2. Chapter 2: The Parting of the Worlds

2. The Parting of the Worlds

Sora, Mickey and Riku were standing in front of the enormous door leading to Kingdom Hearts. They had all been here before on three different occasions. Axel recalled their descriptions as an experience that had relieved them and cleared their minds. This time however seemed as close to relieve them as a coin had to not fall on the ground when thrown at it.

"Come on, let's do this Sora, Riku" said Mickey's high-pitched but warm voice. Axel detected a quiver.

Riku pointed his black Keyblade at the door and looked at Sora. Sora hadn't moved a single inch and seemed to be hesitating. Axel tried to look away politely but the curious urge at how Sora was going to take it couldn't be fought back.

It took a long time before Sora sighed deeply. He still had clearly decided not destroy the door and made to turn away just before Donald came up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Do it for Kairi" said the duck slowly and emotionally.

Axel thought he saw a glimpse of a tear streak past Sora's cheek. The Keyblade master was looking intently into Donald's sad but comprehensive face and Axel could feel the conclusion as if he was sharing Sora's mind. Sora turned and pointed his Keyblade straight at the lock on the door.

"Yes, for Kairi" he said.

For a few seconds nothing happened and then, simultaneously, all three Keyblade wielders slashed violently at the air, making a blue beam erupt from the tips of their Keyblades. They connected and formed a single, golden trail of light. It sped straight at the lock and with a deafening crash the door exploded into billions of minute bits of dust. The whistling stopped and silence came. There was no light and no darkness there was no ground and no ceiling. There was no silence and no noise. There was nothing left at all.

Axel opened his eyes wildly and looked around. He was sitting against a wall in a small and untidy room. He recognized it as the little house in which Leon, Yuffie, Aeris and Cid had established their head quarters ago. That meant he was in Traverse Town. He tried to stand up but found his head was buzzing. He moved his head to the right and almost recoiled as he saw Sora's numb body lie on his shoulder. Deciding not to wake Sora, Axel slowly stood up.

"Hiya Ax!" said a familiar, loud voice.

"I've told you about the Ax bit before" said Axel sulkily as Yuffie tapped him on the shoulder. He felt as if he'd slept for days at a time. He yawned and stretched before realizing this wasn't one of his habits and he rapidly recovered his straight and strong stature.

"How long have I slept long?" he asked Yuffie.

"You've only just arrived" the Ninja replied as if it was all a huge joke. "You all just appeared out of nowhere and seemed to be sleeping. You woke up a few seconds after arriving"

"What happened in the Abyss, in front of Kingdom Hearts?" asked a dark voice from the corner of the room. It was Leon, crossed armed and not bothering to look at anything but his feet.

Suddenly all came to Axel; the sudden explosion of light and the dead feeling of nothingness, the fight between Sora, Mickey and Ansem, the unlimited Heartless, the Darkside. He recalled how Auron had leapt to his defence. Inspired, Axel wheeled around and checked the group. They were all there; Sora, Riku, Donald, Goofy, Cloud and Mickey. They were all there safe Auron.

"We destroyed it" said Axel indifferently." Auron told us it was the only way we could stop fighting. Locking the door wouldn't be enough, or so he claimed"

Leon's eyes shot up reflecting hope and even joy.

"You destroyed the door to Kingdom Hearts?" he asked incredulously." But then…"

"What happens?"

Axel was sure he knew the answer to that but somehow he couldn't think of it. He had known it when Auron had told them to destroy the and he'd even met Cloud's eyes as they saw the conclusion forming in Sora's eyes. But why had he forgotten it now?

There was a dull thud from behind Axel indicating that Sora was awake. Axel turned to him and looked apprehensive. He realized all of the others were also awake by now.

"Yeah, what does happen when the door is destroyed?" asked Riku curiously after being helped up by cloud.

Yuffie and Leon exchanged sour looks. There was a slow noise of footsteps and everyone noticed Aeris entering the room calmly. She looked surprised to see them all there but after Leon had explained the situation in a few words she's understood and followed the pace.

"What you need to know is the war between the Heartless and the Keyblades have been going on for millennia" she said wisely, looking at Sora more than anyone." Ever since the first world was created, Kingdom Hearts came with it. Kingdom Hearts was the link between all the worlds and it evolved into what you saw when you and the King locked it for the first time; a world made of Heartless"

"But locking the door isn't enough to conquer Darkness" said Leon, taking over." Locking it will only change its place and location. Destroying it however breaks all the bonds of membership between all the worlds and everyone will return to their own native place. There is a long period of peace that follows the destruction of the door, mostly it lasts a generation or two. Then the door rebuilds and the whole scenario you, Sora, have just been through plays itself again with, of course different aims, a different Keyblade master and a new characters. There are half a million more worlds to explore. There's one called London, another's called Hawaii, one called Brussels or New York. They're bigger, vaster worlds than Traverse Town and the King's Palace"

"Once the door is destroyed there's nothing more we can do" said Yuffie sadly." It's either losing each other, or losing our friends back home"

A long silence followed. Axel exchanged a dark look with Cloud and they both nodded in agreement, eying Riku and Sora from the corner of their lenses.

"How do you know all this?" asked Riku, not bother to withstand an almost accusative tone.

"There seems to be something to our side" said Leon solemnly." Every time the war starts again we're called back and no matter how we try not to, we escape our world and end up in different places in different forms and shapes. We weren't always like this"

"So what…" asked Sora." Auron said something about an hour and then we all dissolve into our own world again or something"

"That's right, more or less" said Leon. He looked at Aeris who took up the talking.

"If a world was destroyed by the Heartless time will not have applied to it anymore. So to the world you won't have applied to time either. If you dissolve back into a place where time has stopped for a while you will take back to your original form. That is to say, the body you had before the world was destroyed"

"You mean we're going to be 16 and 17 again?" asked Sora incredulously. See bottom of page

"That's right" said Yuffie." But don't worry, you'll remember everything that happened to you in between; which means, you ungrateful, little twat, that you'll never ever forget me. Unfortunately I can't forget you either" she added as an afterthought.

Everyone snorted weakly, even Leon grinned. Silence followed.

"Will we all dissolve together?" asked Goofy's stupid voice.

"No" said Aeris sweetly.

"Once the worlds are recreated we will start disappearing back to them" interrupted Yuffie rudely." And then there will be no way we can ever join each other again unless Kingdom Hearts rebuilds itself in less than a generation"

"The thing is" said Aeris, ignoring the fact that she'd just been interrupted." The world's have different sizes and different links with Kingdom Hearts. Once they're not linked to anything anymore we will disappear. Luckily the King's Castle, Destiny Islands, New Moyara, and, what's now called, the Hollow Bastion are some of the farthest worlds away from Kingdom Hearts so it will take a good hour for all the connections to break"

"Why isn't that Auron here?" asked Donald.

"Auron comes from Spira, which is basically Kingdom Heart's neighbor" said Leon." He disappeared instantly as Kingdom Hearts broke down."

Axel felt a painful twinge of guilt at Auron's disappearance. After Auron had saved him, back in the Abyss he hadn't even thanked him for it, too weak and too enthusiastic. He tried to shake his head violently but didn't manage. He was thinking, as usual, about his home, New Moyara. He would be going back to it in less than an hour. Excitement flooded through him at the though of his sister, of his friends and of the place he'd grown up in.

The last hour the friends spent together felt too short and everyone felt they weren't using it properly, as traditionally in these cases. Riku and Mickey spent time together. They had been together ever since Sora and Mickey had locked Kingdom Hearts for the very first time.

Sora, Donald and Goofy were in a corner discussing for probably the last time in their lives. Their faces were undoubtedly full of hidden grief and although many arguments they had grown very close to each other in the ten years they had spent together.

Ten years. Had it really been ten years since the Destiny Islands were destroyed and since the Keyblade master had been revealed? It had felt much, much shorter. Even though Sora and Riku were now men of a not unreasonable 24 and 25, Axel still regarded them as young teenagers. To him, they were still two boys who had discovered the many other worlds and were just discovering the abilities of the heart. He knew, of course, that what Riku and Sora had found out could fill a small library, but the knowledge never seemed to become basis. Had it really been ten years since he'd met both of them for the first time?

"Donald, Goofy?" said Mickey suddenly after what seemed, to Axel, to have been ages." We're leaving"

Axel was astounded to see that Sora wasn't crying or even showing any sign of remorse. He just put his right hand in front of him. Goofy and Donald laid theirs onto it and they spoke some well-chosen farewell words. Axel didn't try to understand what was said. This time his self-control won over his curiosity.

"Axel" called Mickey warmly.

"Your Highness" replied Axel, smiling." It was an honor"

"It was a pleasure to free you from the Organization. I hope you do well" continued Mickey, in his high-pitch.

"Good luck, to you, your Highness"

Then something happened; the strangest thing that had ever happened to Axel. King Mickey had hugged him very tightly around the middle. The queer shape of the mouse was uncomfortable and odd. Axel found no way to bend down to return the hug s he contended himself to tap the King on the shoulder.

Goofy and Donald nodded at him. Neither had forgiven him for what had happened in Castle Oblivion, so long ago. Axel nodded back curtly.

"Thank you for everything" Axel heard Riku say to Mickey. This one smiled and then all of a sudden, along with Goofy and Donald he evaporated in thin air.

Sora smiled weakly.

"Riku" he said." When I first came into another world I appeared in a little ally close to the jewelry. I think it'd be cool if that's where I left it again"

"That's in the 1st Quarter, Sora" said Leon warningly.

"You may not have the time to reach it" completed Aeris.

"I'll try all the same" said Sora confidently." You guys coming"

"I'm coming" replied Riku, grinning." I'd better show Kairi you and me are cool again"

"Me and Leon will come too" confirmed Yuffie.

Everyone turned to Cloud and Aeris. They'd been standing next to each other, hand in hand all the time.

"No." said Cloud shortly." Sorry Sora but I have things to see too. Me and Aeris have to experiment something before it's too late"

"Well then, I guess, It's goodbye to you two" said Sora, grinning more widely than ever, clearly trying to fight back tears.

"Goodbye Sora" said Aeris sweetly and she hugged him tightly before kissing him on the forehead.

"Sora, good luck. I hope you manage to keep your light this time" said Cloud serenely. Sora recognized the allusion to their first discussion, ten years ago outside the Olympus Coliseum.

"Give my regards to Sephiroth"

Axel sniggered. He then followed Sora, Riku, Leon and Yuffie out of the house. The trip was a silent one. Even Yuffie didn't manage to entertain with her usual excitement. It took them less time than expected to reach the alleyway and when they finally reached it they saw it hadn't changed one bit. The wooden boxes were still stacked clumsily against the wall; there was still a gap in the building through which Sora had reached to grab a box containing a group of Dalmatians.

"Well, this is it" said Sora turning and beaming around at Axel, Leon and Yuffie. (Riku stood beside him).

"Jeez, it's going to be all weird not having you around any more" said Yuffie, as though she'd just noticed.

"Losing one Keyblade master was something but losing the two others…" said Axel.

"You couldn't have kept us here for always, we'd have found a way home anyway" said Riku, sniggering.

"Here it goes" said Sora closing his eyes." Bye guys. I'm going to miss you"

"And we're going to miss you" said Yuffie kissing both of them on both cheeks.

"Yeah, the door will rebuild itself in no time" said Riku grinning.

The grin was the last thing they ever saw of him. The moment the words were out of his mouth both of them disappeared. It left the alleyway quite silent. A mistral of wind passed through it and Axel felt a strange feeling in his back, as if people were pushing him forwards.

"I think I'm about to go too" said Axel, looking at Yuffie more than Leon.

"You're from New Moyara, yeah?" asked Leon.

"Yeah" was the answer." Look, before I go there's something I must confess"

Axel felt a weird twitching in his body. He thought of Cloud who was holding Aeris' hand. He thought of Riku holding Naminé's. He thought of Sora who probably had Kairi in his arms right now.

"Leon" he said, ignoring the feeling." You were best friend I ever had. Thanks for everything you ever did"

The pushing in his back had expanded itself all over his body so that now he had the feeling he was being crushed into a tennis ball. He looked at Leon who was smiling at him warmly.

"Yuffie" he turned to Yuffie and look her straight in the eyes." I love you"

With those last words Axel, his red-hair, his black coat, his patched eyebrows vanished. The last glimpse he got was Yuffie's abashed face and Leon's smirking face. He felt relieved, he was going home. Then for the second time that day everything became black and all was nothing.

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PS: At the end of Kingdom Hearts II Destiny Islands was destroyed by the Heartless again. By consequence time stopped… Kingdom Hearts II happened two years after KH1. References will be made in the following chapters to "eight years ago"


	3. Chapter 3: Moyara Nova

3. Nova Moyara

Axel kept his eyes shut. He knew he'd been moved from world again and if all had gone well he would be in Nova or New Moyara. Could it be his home? He didn't want to find out just yet. There was a rustling in the leaves and Axel felt cold, damp wind beat against his face and the sound of the sea echoed in his ears.

The sea…

No matter how many worlds Axel had visited in his time with the Organization, he had never found a world where he could hear the slow and peaceful sea. Atlantica was the closest to what the sea was supposed except the image of it was supposed to be from above. The thought of the sea brings a white beach, a red, dying sun and a blue surface with it. In Atlantica it was only under water, there was no hope of seeing it from above and getting the desired image.

Axel listened intently. As he stretched he could hear the distant noises coming from the immense city, where he'd been born and raised. He'd left his home when he was no older than seventeen, three years older than Sora had been. Missing his home he'd walked aimlessly through Twilight Town and had waited for him to go back. It had been a childish reaction.

The first person he'd met was called Naminé. She had also left her world, or so she'd claimed. He remembered how they'd walked as aimlessly together as he'd done on his own but it was better company. Then they'd met hooded figures in the middle of the road. Those were the Organization, led by Vexen, Marluxia, Larxene and the others…

What had happened then? What had happened to him? He had lost his home and had been walking aimlessly through Twilight Town with a smart, young girl with whom he got on well. And then he'd joined the "bad guys", without thinking. If only he could have been more of a man he would have helped Naminé and helped her spare a good deal of pain. What a fool he had been, all along the journey…

The damp wind still brushed his spiked hair backwards. Every notion of time had vanished and he felt like in Castle Oblivion again, struggling to hold on to his memories. He could see Naminé's face shining with silent tears as she'd been put down by Marluxia, yet again. Then, quite suddenly, Yuffie's face appeared in his mind. Not being able to explain why, Axel shuddered, almost miserably, and opened his eyes very slowly.

The subconscious of having landed somewhere else than home, vanished immediately. Axel could have gasped if he hadn't exercised his self-control so much. There in front of him was the immense city in which he had grown up. Several buildings, higher than the tallest steeples, stuck up behind a vast area of thin, high buildings. The naturally energized speedway slalomed through streets of high peeks.

A surge of relief followed the sight on which Axel had just clapped his eyes on. He had come home. It was Moyara Nova…

Moyara Nova…

The name echoed through Axel's thoughts and suddenly a sick feeling replaced the relief. Was he really supposed to be here? Shouldn't he be in Traverse Town talking to Leon, Yuffie and Aeris? Shouldn't he have tried to find Naminé instead of leaving her by herself, wherever she was now? Hadn't he promised Vexen to keep hunting him down until the Scientist was absorbed by his experiments and by Darkness? Was he really that happy to have given up on fighting the Heartless secretly?

He shook his head trying to throw off the thoughts and feelings. He couldn't though so he tried to find defiant answers to the questions that had popped up uninvited. Yes, he was supposed to be here, he should never have left "here" in the first place. Naminé's world, Destiny Islands, had been destroyed together with everything on it. Naminé and Kairi had survived its first destruction ten years ago but the odds on having a heart strong enough to survive two attacks were very remote. Agreeably he _had _promised Vexen to hunt him down but Vexen had been beaten around the same time Destiny Islands had been. No news had come from him since and eight years later there was no reason to expect any.

The last question was the more difficult to answer. Until Riku and Mickey had talked to him so long ago, the Organization had been Axel's life. He had put all his soul in trapping Sora and dominating Light and Darkness to be powerful. Later he had started loving his tricks and his secret treachery and, admittedly, he had missed them while fighting the Heartless alongside Sora. Even the fighting against the Shadows, he had loved. But had he loved it as much as home? No, definitely not. His friends, his parents and his sister were more important than anything, beyond any doubt.

Yes, those were answers. Nobody could hold them against him. He had been away for ten years and of course it was a little difficult but Axel was sure he would get back into the habit of not using his hands to light candles but to press a button. As he thought this he sniggered silently and then a wave of fear followed all the emotions he had already suffered today.

His power!

Had it gone? Had it stayed behind along with Yuffie (Axel quickly ignored her face), Leon and his discs?

Luckily Axel could check this right now. In three seconds he had been able to summon up a fire, the force of which would burn down a jungle. With a single click of his fingers he had been capable of creating an orb of fire in his palm. That was a simple test.

Axel clicked his fingers, a red fire appeared in his hand and he smirked. Yes, he'd kept his powers along with his memories. Making sure he had brought nothing with him but himself, he stood up and started walking patiently towards the huge city.

Moyara Nova was one of the highest cities ever to have been built. People from any world knew it. The name meant something in their subconscious.

It had been built some two millennia before Axel's time next to the vast ocean from which the Moyarans had found a way to extract energy, climate and nourishment. Due to the natural energy and life-sustain Moyara Nova was also one of the cleanest. Industry had been wiped from it. Sadly however, happiness had been hard to obtain and criminality was one of the main problems in this world. In fact it was the _only_ problem but it covered all possibilities to any other.

As Axel walked along the deserted streets of the Southern Quarter of the city he took his time to appreciate the unbelievably high buildings and the early morning emptiness. He thought of his family and tried to remember the way he used to take to get home after a day's hiking with his friends. It all seemed so far off.

His mind elsewhere he had made his way home by trusting his instinct. The Southern Quarter was a quiet neighborhood. Here the people lived in small houses and cottages by the sea and the beach, instead of the towering buildings and apartments which could be found everywhere else in the city.

Axel's family lived half a mile away from anyone else and had its own, private beach. Nothing but the sea could be heard. Silently Axel scrutinized the surroundings and smirked. He walked up to the door and hesitated before ringing. He hesitated a second to long.

"Hey!" said a inquiring girl's voice.

Axel wheeled around to see none other than his sister running up to him. She had been 15 when he had left the Moyara Nova but now she seemed to be a grown woman. A knot tied itself in Axel's throat. Why hadn't time stopped with her?

"Rowena" he said once she was in earshot.

As soon as she heard his voice however, the girl (Rowena) froze. Disbelief spread over her face.

"Axel!" she shouted and without warning she flung her arms around him and knocked him to the ground.

Axel thought it wiser not to speak or fight her off.

"Axel" shouted Rowena excitedly not bothering to get off him. She seemed to be torn between tears of joy and anger" Wha- Whe- Where were you? You've been away for ten years! Where? Ten years!"

The impact of this tightened the knot. Axel tried to gulp but didn't manage. Time hadn't stopped in Moyara Nova. Why? There was no idea, no explanation possible as to why he was seeing his sister aged 25 instead of her predicted 15.

"Well say something" demanded Rowena smiling.

Axel hesitated… He couldn't tell her what had happened to him in the past ten years. There was no way that could happen just like that. She wouldn't understand and besides, seeing as the worlds were disconnected it didn't matter any more.

"Can I come inside and see mum and dad?" he asked.

"No" she said shortly.

"Why not?"

"They're dead…"

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Hey, thanks for reading up and until now. I know I'm slightly messing up Axel's character but he needs a bit of a personality to become the main character so well… there you go. Hope you like it. Next chapter is due in a couple of days.

PS: I own none of the KH characters.


	4. Chapter 4: Rowena's Tale

Note: Here follow two fairly short chapters which will essentially be made of dialogues in which Rowena and Axel tell each other what has happened to them.

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Rowena's Tale

The two of them walked along the beach, throwing glimpses at the rising sun. It had been a silent walk until Axel had finally broken the silence by asking:

"What happened?"

"When?"

"Ever since I left, what has happened?"

The beach was warm, although it was still early morning. The damp wind hadn't changed and it blew their red hair into their faces constantly.

Rowena sat down opposite the sea and watched it passively. Then she started talking.

"Do you remember how we used to wake up at ten o'clock and come diving into the water and see if we froze or not?" she asked dreamily." Mum and dad were already working and they wouldn't be there to tell you off for giving me ideas. Sometimes we invited your friends and sometimes we invited mine. Do you remember?"

"I remember" muttered Axel as he did, indeed, remember.

"One morning, we'd gone to bed after a midnight swim, I heard mum and dad leaving for the office and I sneaked up to your room to wake you up, as I always did. I knocked and didn't get the usual, annoyed groan you always gave me so I came in and you'd disappeared.

From what I could see you'd never gone to bed. Obviously I panicked and ran to Kiren, you remember the old neighbor? He was a weird man but he helped me. I was only fifteen and I lost my big brother, can you imagine how lost I felt?

Anyway, mum and dad were warned and they notified the police. I couldn't do much but watch them, although in my heart I knew they weren't going to find you. You weren't the person to hide for fun, but when you did hide in any circumstance, you were amazingly good at it. So I always knew they would never find you. I kinda think I was a little girl in a fairy tale before and just after you left.

Like I said, I never believed they'd find you and if you ever came back you would have chosen to come back. And I was right. Look, here you are and you chose to come back, didn't you?"

Axel tried to turn away so that he wouldn't have to stare at the shiny, happy face next to him but he had no choice. She was beaming down at him. It was impressive how she'd grown.

"What happened to you" asked Rowena after some time.

"Wait" said Axel, a little too fast for comfort." What happened to mum and dad?"

"Well…" started Rowena, swallowing and turning away." After you'd left dad was devastated. He had always really appreciated you more than me for being a son and not a daughter. He never really recovered and two years after you disappeared he resigned from his job leaving mum to work on her own. Dad stayed at home and I think he went mad, in his own silent way. He could have lived on though but like you know Moyara Nova, it's not always a happy place."

"They were killed by delinquents?" asked Axel amazed and furious.

"This is where I'm not sure. One day, this must have been not even a year after you'd left; a tall man clad in black with long blond hair visited us. He knocked on the door and I answered seeing as mum and dad were at work. He said he needed to talk to them and I told him foolishly they worked and I said most of the things I knew about them. But it was so strange…"

"What was?" asked Axel briskly.

"The man seemed to know you. He said he'd known you since a little after you'd vanished. He said you owed him a lot of money. After that he came every week once mum and dad had left and he talked to me. When I was eighteen I pushed him away, even though dad was at home and all that. I never saw him again and that's when it happened"

"Mum and dad…?"

"Yes. I can't claim there was a link but it was a very strange coincidence. Later that day, not two hours I found a suicide letter written by dad and the police recovered mum's drowned body. That's as much as I know"

Axel swallowed. The description of the man who had seemingly killed his parents sounded familiar. It made him think of someone important but he couldn't recollect who. It must have been someone from another world… but whom?

"I took over the house even though I'd practically been living in it by myself ever since you were gone. I worked almost day and night and time went by fairly quickly. Once the closest people to you are dead it feels as though there is nothing left to live for. I was never tempted to commit suicide but I had no particular motive, no aim to live and to live for. It was all very mixed up and then I saw you in your clothes and they were exactly like this blond man's. It made me panic and then I recognized your hair. Nobody has ever had hair like yours"

Axel grinned but he didn't feel like doing so. The blond man of whom Rowena had spoken was part of the Organization, or at least, he had been part of it until Axel himself had taken care of him a very long time ago, in Castle Oblivion. They had been mortal enemies ever since, even though the man in question should have been anything anymore. He should have been "eliminated" for treachery. His name was _Vexen_…


End file.
